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Sustainability in E-waste Management and Implications for Circular Economy

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Waste and Recycling".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 20640

Special Issue Editor

Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT Centre), School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Interests: sustainable development; e-waste; circular economy; material flow analysis (mfa); Waste Electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The changing global environment, depletion of natural resources, and increased pressure on managing waste generated in the complex eco-system forced us to think of sustainable solutions in the waste management and resource efficiency sector towards achieving sustainable development goals. Circulating various types of metals and materials has become an essential task, transforming the economy from linear to circular so that the waste sector and manufacturing industries take advantage of minimized environmental impacts and better productivity, with increased job creation and overall well-being. Among the various waste streams, electronic waste (e-waste) or waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the critical contributors to the solid waste management system, creating severe damage to the environment and human health due to the presence of hazardous materials and metals. On the other hand, e-waste is a valuable source of secondary materials that can be used to manufacture a new product. Universities and research organizations worldwide are actively involved in researching the issue of sustainable solutions to the waste problem. However, substantial knowledge gaps exist in the scientific landscape in the e-waste management and recycling research field. This Special Issue aims to disseminate the knowledge of this field to a broader audience regardless of the country's status. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  1. Consumer/public awareness of e-waste (with a particular focus on the small e-waste category);
  2. Reuse patterns of electronic products, focusing on the circular economy principle;
  3. Reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chains of e-waste;
  4. Recent technologies in e-waste recycling;
  5. Application of lifecycle assessment and material flow analysis models;
  6. Transboundary movement of e-waste;
  7. Negative impact of e-waste on the environment and human health.    

Although a considerable amount of work has been done on the issues mentioned above, when geographical scope (national and regional) is considered, more research work should be carried out, especially research from developing countries that takes into account lessons learned from developed economies. This Special Issue will supplement knowledge sharing and the exchange of information to achieve a circular economy and sustainable development goals.   

Dr. Md Tasbirul Islam
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • E-waste
  • Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
  • Circular economy
  • Sustainability
  • Sustainable development
  • Resource efficiency
  • Environmental pollution
  • Health impact
  • Recycling technology, policy and regulation
  • Consumer behavior

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 27005 KiB  
Article
Collecting Small-Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment in Poland—How Can Containers Help in Disposal of E-Waste by Individuals?
by Piotr Nowakowski, Sandra Kuśnierz, Julia Płoszaj and Patrycja Sosna
Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12422; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132212422 - 10 Nov 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3318
Abstract
The effectiveness of e-waste collection depends on organizational and social factors. Individuals should have easy access to collection points and be aware of proper methods of e-waste disposal. This article investigates the availability, usability, and occurring irregularities of the container collection of small-waste [...] Read more.
The effectiveness of e-waste collection depends on organizational and social factors. Individuals should have easy access to collection points and be aware of proper methods of e-waste disposal. This article investigates the availability, usability, and occurring irregularities of the container collection of small-waste electrical and electronic equipment. The study explores the attitude and behavior of individuals when disposing of small-waste equipment in the South of Poland. The results show that ninety-five percent of supermarkets’ managers responsible for waste management find a growing interest in the disposal of small e-waste by individuals. An increasing number of collection containers encourages residents to dispose of small-waste appliances. More than eighty-three percent of respondents are aware of proper methods of e-waste disposal. Additional information campaigns addressed to residents are required to prevent mixing electrical and electronic waste with other waste and to encourage the disposal of small e-waste. The intention to dispose of small e-waste was declared by only thirty-two percent of respondents. Containers with discarded easy breakable items, such as lamps, should be removed more frequently. The collection containers’ noticeability is evaluated by individuals as of average difficulty. The containers in supermarkets have simple designs and labels indicating the category of waste for disposal. The containers installed in residential areas have attractive designs and advertising slogans. The individuals expect the containers should be available in more locations that are easily accessible from households. The results of this study should be helpful for local authorities, waste collection companies, and waste electrical and electronic organizations, to support design, location selection, and information campaigns for small e-waste container collections. Full article
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23 pages, 876 KiB  
Article
An Optimization-Based System Dynamics Simulation for Sustainable Policy Design in WEEE Management Systems
by Camilo Llerena-Riascos, Sebastián Jaén, Jairo Rafael Montoya-Torres and Juan G. Villegas
Sustainability 2021, 13(20), 11377; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132011377 - 14 Oct 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2296
Abstract
The increase in the use of electrical and electronic devices worldwide has created a rapid growth of waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The current paper presents an optimization-based simulation (OBS) approach that allows the design of sustainable WEEE management system policies. [...] Read more.
The increase in the use of electrical and electronic devices worldwide has created a rapid growth of waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The current paper presents an optimization-based simulation (OBS) approach that allows the design of sustainable WEEE management system policies. The proposed OBS approach integrates a system dynamics (SD) model and a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model to improve the representation and performance of the WEEE processes considering their operative and strategic interdependence. The SD component elicits the complexity of the WEEE generation process. Complementarily, the MINLP model periodically optimizes key variables of the WEEE management system. Computational results in a case study based on WEEE from Colombian mobile phones illustrates how an approach solely based on SD simulation is unable to capture the operative-strategic nature of the system and perform optimal parameter updates. By contrast, the OBS approach of this paper outperforms an exclusive SD analysis both in the economic and environmental performance of the system. It obtains 33% more profits and 65% more environmental benefits. Moreover, for this case study, the model suggests that the cornerstone of the WEEE management system for increasing its performance is the replacement rate. Full article
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15 pages, 773 KiB  
Article
Estimating Electric Power Requirements for Mechanically Shredding Massage Chairs and Treadmills at a Recycling Plant
by Junsoo Yoo, Choongwoo Lee, Sudong Kim, Jonghyun Choi and Jihwan Park
Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8938; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13168938 - 10 Aug 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3118
Abstract
South Korea has operated under laws to collect and recycle the waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) utilizing a system based on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system since 2003. In 2020, the number of products managed by the EPR increased from [...] Read more.
South Korea has operated under laws to collect and recycle the waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) utilizing a system based on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system since 2003. In 2020, the number of products managed by the EPR increased from 27 to 50. Among the 50 products, massage chairs and treadmills are recognized as the items avoided in recycling centers or by recyclers due to their large volume, large weight, and long disassembly times. This study was a preliminary study in which the physical shredding process for massage chairs and treadmills could be introduced, and the electrical power requirements calculated. In the methodology, Vickers hardness was measured by sampling two actual products, and the tensile and shear strength were calculated from the hardness. Based on the shear strength, the force affecting the cutter was calculated and converted into torque and horsepower. In particular, the actual specifications of the crusher, designed and operated in the recycling center, were applied to the study, and the design was based on the treatment capacity of 10 tons per hour. Conclusively, the proper electrical power for crushing the massage chair and treadmill was analyzed as 719.5 and 459.7 HP, respectively. Full article
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Review

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33 pages, 4154 KiB  
Review
Dismantling of Printed Circuit Boards Enabling Electronic Components Sorting and Their Subsequent Treatment Open Improved Elemental Sustainability Opportunities
by Ange A. Maurice, Khang Ngoc Dinh, Nicolas M. Charpentier, Andrea Brambilla and Jean-Christophe P. Gabriel
Sustainability 2021, 13(18), 10357; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su131810357 - 16 Sep 2021
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 10588
Abstract
This critical review focuses on advanced recycling strategies to enable or increase recovery of chemical elements present in waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs). Conventional recycling involves manual removal of high value electronic components (ECs), followed by raw crushing of WPCBs, to recover main [...] Read more.
This critical review focuses on advanced recycling strategies to enable or increase recovery of chemical elements present in waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs). Conventional recycling involves manual removal of high value electronic components (ECs), followed by raw crushing of WPCBs, to recover main elements (by weight or value). All other elements remain unrecovered and end up highly diluted in post-processing wastes or ashes. To retrieve these elements, it is necessary to enrich the waste streams, which requires a change of paradigm in WPCB treatment: the disassembly of WPCBs combined with the sorting of ECs. This allows ECs to be separated by composition and to drastically increase chemical element concentration, thus making their recovery economically viable. In this report, we critically review state-of-the-art processes that dismantle and sort ECs, including some unpublished foresight from our laboratory work, which could be implemented in a recycling plant. We then identify research, business opportunities and associated advanced retrieval methods for those elements that can therefore be recovered, such as refractory metals (Ta, Nb, W, Mo), gallium, or lanthanides, or those, such as the platinum group elements, that can be recovered in a more environmentally friendly way than pyrometallurgy. The recovery methods can be directly tuned and adapted to the corresponding stream. Full article
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